Video service subscribers normally have multiple playback devices. While multiple devices maybe associated with a content delivery account, which device an individual uses at a given time often depends on the user's location.
With some device based pause operations, a user may pause a broadcast on a device with the broadcast content being stored in a local content buffer for some time allowing the user to resume playback of the paused content. Unfortunately, such a local content buffer is normally not accessible to other devices and as a result a user is normally required to resume playback of paused broadcast content from the device the pause was initiated. Also, while the device is in a pause mode, the user normally is not able to switch to other channels.
From the above it should be appreciated that there is a need for methods and/or apparatus which would allow a user to pause broadcast content on one device and resume playback on another device or the same device. While not critical or necessary in all embodiments it would be desirable if upon resumption of playback of a paused broadcast, the device from which the pause was initiated was freed to be used for normally playback.
For a variety of reasons, it is desirable that in at least some implementations the pause function be capable of being implemented based on a user controlled signal and without the need for a broadcaster to access a pre-broadcast recording of the program. In addition it is desirable in at least some embodiments, paused program content be treated differently than content selected by a user for recording in terms of content retention.